It is known to provide trim fittings for motor vehicles with lighting means in order to give the vehicle a more high-quality appearance.
German laid-open patent application DE 10 2008 027 128 A1 discloses a cover fitting or sealing strip for a motor vehicle having a profiled strip into which an LED for illuminating a trim element arranged on the outer surface or a cover layer provided on the outer surface is embedded. However, the structure is comparatively complex and costly to manufacture and furthermore does not permit any continuously uniform illumination over the entire length of the fitting because of the LEDs which are provided only at discrete positions. Furthermore, it is considered disadvantageous that the cover fitting or sealing strip can be identified from the outside as an illuminated fitting owing to its external design.
DE 10 2006 049 872 A1 discloses a trim fitting having an illumination module which is let into the trim fitting as a separate component. The illumination module permits only a restricted illumination range, and the design of the trim fitting is complex as a result of the need for fitting a cut out into the trim strip. An additional factor here is also that this type of design of a trim fitting compromises the high-quality visual effect because the visible surface of the trim fitting is penetrated.
A likewise multi-component trim fitting of complex design with integrated lighting means is also disclosed by document EP 2 063 057 A1.
EP 1 772 667 A2 discloses a plastic component with an integrated light source. In this context, the light elements are embedded at least partially in the plastic moulded mass of a visible part, which considerably complicates the manufacture of the plastic component. Furthermore, the trim fitting has to be fabricated from plastics which can be through-lit, which can give a less high-quality impression compared to other materials.
The last-mentioned disadvantage of the restricted material selection also relates to the illuminated trim fittings which are disclosed in documents EP 2 556 996 A2 and EP 2 363 324 A1.
A fitting having a through-lit, transparent fitting part is also disclosed by US 2003/0002294 A1. In order to prevent the lighting means from being visible from the outside, said lighting means emits light laterally into the transparent fitting part and is covered by an additional cover which can be seen from the outside. This design is relatively complex and requires additional components and does not permit any fittings which are very flat and narrow in design. Document DE 201 10 352 U1 describes a completely comparable and therefore also similarly disadvantageous design.
An object of the invention is therefore to make available a trim fitting of the type specified at the beginning and a motor vehicle having a trim fitting which is of structurally simple design and can be manufactured cost-effectively. The trim fitting may be flat in design and be capable of being mounted in a space-saving fashion, but nevertheless be able to give a visually high-quality impression compared to the known trim fittings which are provided with lighting structures, and said trim fitting should differ externally as little as possible, or even not at all, from non-illuminated trim fittings. In addition, the trim fitting may permit the use of non-transparent materials.
This object may be achieved according to the invention in that the trim fitting is designed in such a way that, given correct final mounting on the vehicle, a light gap is formed between the trim fitting and the adjacent vehicle outer surface, in particular between the profiled strip and the adjacent vehicle outer surface, through which light gap the light emitted by the lighting structure is capable of exiting to the outside in a visible fashion.
With this configuration, it becomes superfluous to embed lighting structures in the profiled strip, and the need to use materials which can be through-lit (transparent or translucent) is eliminated. Instead, high-quality metal strips, which cannot be through-lit, can also be used, which metal strips effectively visually conceal assembly components which are located on the functional side of the profiled strip, in particular the lighting structure or cabling. A light guide, an LED or some other component which increases the material homogeneity of the profiled strip is not necessary. The profiled strip is also not penetrated by a component in a way which is visible from the outside.